To those bookstore owners who do not fully comprehend the extent of their liability under the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard, be warned that what you don't know can hurt you – and can be very costly.

Stacy Mitchell, senior researcher with the New Rules Project and author of Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America’s Independent Businesses, looks at grassroots financing of local businesses, including Brooklyn's Greenlight Bookstore, Oakland's  Awaken Café, and Hardwick, Vermont's Claire's Restaurant.

When Robert Sindelar of Third Place Books tried to buy gift cards via the websites of several major indie bookstores in another city, he was very surprised by what he found.

No bookseller has to be reminded that a successful bookstore's profit margin is, more often than not, slim, and -- in the current economic climate -- possibly non-existent. It's for that very reason, said Michael Barnard of Rakestraw Books in Danville, California, that booksellers must be pro-active in how they handle credit cards and card transactions, to minimize the associated costs and risks. Barnard recently led a session on credit at the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Trade Show.

With autumn comes flu season, but this year's outbreak of swine flu, or 2009 H1N1, adds new urgency to preparations for combating spread of the diseases. To date, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 2009 H1N1 influenza virus "continues to be the dominant influenza virus in circulation in the world."

Although "growth market" may not apply to much these days, one area of burgeoning sales for some indie booksellers is self-published titles. According to Bowker, from 2007 to 2008 there was a 132-percent jump in the number of new books published by print-on-demand companies.

As evidenced by some of today's biggest headlines, in harsh economic times, white collar crime comes to the fore as thefts that have been going on for a while are exposed, and desperate circumstances drive an increasing number of previously law-abiding citizens to break the law.

In November 2008, as the economic downturn started to spread across the retail landscape, American Booksellers Association staff attempted to contact every member bookstore. This effort was undertaken to offer ABA's help in any way possible and to assess how members were doing. As they provided status reports, however, booksellers also offered valuable insights into their unique ways of countering declining sales.

To stay afloat in a recession that shows no sign of abatement, savvy indies are cutting costs through careful planning and well-thought-out business decisions. For some, this includes renegotiating a lease or signing on with a lower-cost utility provider.

With retailers sharply competing for fewer consumer dollars, holiday bargains are being trumpeted early and everywhere. While many booksellers are adding discounts to the marketing mix, they're also emphasizing creative and community-minded campaigns.